Faucet.



l Ni'rnn 'raras f ATENT Friese ARTHUR OBRIEN, OF HELENA, MONTANA.

FAUCET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 663,979, dated December 18, 1900.

A Application ledDecember 1l, 1899. Serial No. 739,884. (N0 model-l T0 all whom, it may concern:

Be it known thatvI, ARTHUR OBRIEN, of Helena, in the county of Lewis and Clarke and State of Montana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Faucets, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to faucets for stationary wash-bowls, bath-tubs, sinks, and similar fixtures; and one object of my invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive device of few parts which may be easily assembled and readily replaced by unskilled persons when worn, a loose valve being easily removed and a new one substituted therefor, and a valveoperating device heldin place in a novel manner without the employment of separate metallic springs.

A further object of my invention is to so arrange the valve that it will be closed by the water-pressure from above and be adapted when open to admit air to the pipes from above, and thus allow the water to be withdrawn therefrom to prevent freezing or for other purposes, as will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate my invention, Figure l is a vertical sectional elevation of my improved faucet; Fig. 2, a similar view in line :um of Fig. l; Fig. 3, a transverse section in lineyy of Fig. l; Fig. 4, a transverse section in line ,e z of Fig. l; and Fig. 5, a transverse section in line w w of Fig. 1, where it is connected to the slab or xture.

The body A of the faucet has a pipe-section B of polygonal cross-section (shown in Fig; 5) for securing it to the slab C of the fixture to prevent its turning therein, a closed valvestem-operating chamber D, a closed valvecontaining air-chamber E at the top'thereof, and two side channels F F, leading from the pipe-section B around the chamber D and also around the valve-seat chamber G to the air-chamber E, thus permitting the water to pass freely up to the said air-chamber and press upon the top of the valve H and hold it tightly closed except when otherwise actedv upon. The upper end of the bodyAis threaded at a to receive a Vcap M, which tightly closes the upper end of the valve-chamber to form an air-chamber, and when removed will provide a clear opening for the passage of the Valve H and also for iinishing the valve-seat g, upon which the ball or conical face of the valverests. The Valve-seat chamber comprises an aperture within and concentric to the circle of the body below the valve-seat andV extending through the adjacent wall of the body A at one side to provide a neck g to receive the spout N of the faucet, the opposite side of the valve-seat chamber being connected by aneck g2 with the adjacent wall of the body. The valve-operating chamber D is also connected upon opposite sides with the adjacent wall of the body A by necks d d', thus making the body complete of a single casting.

The valve H is preferably of rubber and has a tubular stem h, which passes through a hole d2 in the top of the valve-operating chamber, the metal around the upper end thereof being raised sufficiently to provide an extended bearing for the stein and also to defleet and drain ofl' the water and prevent it from leaking into the valve-operating chamber. Should there be aleakage into said chamber, an aperture h in the hollow valve-stein above the bearing will allow the Water thus accumulated to be siphoned off from the valve-operating chamber when it is turned on with full force and discharged therewith through the spout.

The valve-operating chamber D has an opening d3 upon the side of the body opposite the` spout, which is fitted with a rubber stopper O, the latter having a conical inner end o to closely lit the corresponding inner surface of the opening d3, a bead o2 to t and overlap the outer end of said opening, and a hole in the axis thereof to tightly fit a lever P, which passes through it and projects into the valve' -operating chamber to reach and press against the valve-stem for raising the valve when the water is to be turned on. The inner end of the lever, as shown, has an eye p, through which passes the valve-stem h, and a collar h on the valve-stem above the eye of the lever allows the valve-stem and valve to be lifted when the outer end of the leverP is pressed down upon. The lever P projects sufficiently beyond-the stopper O, upon the outside thereof, to give the required leverage, and the rubber stopper vnot only allows the lever to be rocked, but returns it to its normal position when released and also makes IOO a water-tight stopper for the opening in the neck of the valve-operating chamber.

There are no pin-joints, springs, or other small fixtures to get out of Aorder in connection with the valve-operating lever, and only four metal parts are necessary to make a complete self-closing faucet. The rubber valve and rubber stopper also add to the number of parts stated; but they are inexpensive and easily renewed should they become in the least defective.

A11 important feature incident to my improved faucet is that the valve opens upwardly to allow the water to escape, is not held down by springs, and will open automatically to allow air to enter the faucet through the spout when the water is shut off from the supply-pipe, and thus allow the water to escape from the su pply-pipe by means of an escape-cock at the lower end of the pipe. 'lhe air-chamber above the valve prevents the latter from being pounded and hammered on by the water being suddenly shut off in connecting-pipes and may be of any required size to hold the valve steady, true, and rlnly upon its seat, thus greatly extending` the life of the valve and seat, and thus provides a novel arrangement of free-seating self-closing gravityvalve, valve-seat, and air-chamber for faucets. The valve-stem has a vertical movement independent of the operatinglever. The valve will be allowed to seat truly without hammering or being cramped or checked by a xed connection with the operating-iever, and the water passing up around the valve and delivered above and upon both sides thereof will seat the Valve more evenly than if delivered above the valve and upon one side thereof only. The valve-operating lever may be arranged in anypreferred manner, and any suitable mechanism for operating the valve may be employed, as the valve-seat, faucetbody, and valve herein described are adapted for use in faucets of various types.

I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patentl. A faucet comprising a body and discharge-chamber having a valve-seat at the top thereof contained within and connected to the body, a supply-pipe below the valveseat and discharge-chamber, a fluid-passage leading from the supply-pipe around the valve-seat and discharge-chamber to the airchamber above the valve and a free-seating lift-valve adapted to the Valve-seat having a stem and an operating-lever, the valve being adapted to lift freely from the seat and move independently of the operating-lever, substantially as described.

2. A faucet comprising a body a valve-seat and discharge-chamber contained within and connected to said body and having a fluidpassage between therein, a discharge-conduit passing through the body and into the discharge-chamber, a valve-operating chamber located below the valve-seat and dischargechamber and separated therefrom,a free-seating lift-valve adapted to the valve-seat having a valve-stern passing through the lioor of the valve-seat chamber into the valve-operating chamber and a valve-operating device supported upon the body below the dischargechamber and contained within the valve-operating chamber substantially as described.

3. A faucet comprising a body, a valve-seat chamber and valve-operating chamber contained therein and connected therewith bya neck having an opening through the body, a valve supported upon the valve-seat chamber having astem extending into the Valveoperating chamber, a rubber stopper tted in the neck-opening of the valve-operating chamber and a lever passing through the nipple and adapted to operate the Valve-stem, substantially as described.

4. A faucet comprising a body, a valve-seat chamber contained therein and connected therewith and with the spout thereof, a valve supported upon the valve-seat chamber having a hollow stem and a vent therein opening to the spout and a valve-operating chamber having a well therein into which the lower open end of the tubular valve-stem passes, substantially as described.

ARTHUR 'OBRIEN.

Titnessesz WM. H. ROWE, C. I-I. SCHAFER. 

